Indian River State College Hosts F.B.I. Threat Assessment Exercise

Indian River State College Hosts F.B.I. Threat Assessment Exercise

December 9, 2020 Suzanne Seldes

FORT PIERCE, FL—Law enforcement professionals from a dozen agencies gathered at the Treasure Coast Public Safety Training Complex at IRSC for a two-day workshop with trainers from the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Virginia. These workshops were conducted in support of the FBI's national Threat Assessment and Threat Management initiative. Members of the agency’s Critical Incident Response Group conducted the seminar, which illuminated the science behind offender and victim behaviors, pre- and post- crime.

“As the nation’s law enforcement community faces increased calls, the need for pre-incident threat assessment training is paramount,” shares J. Alan Montgomery, Chief or Security and National Training Initiatives at Indian River State College. “When Supervisory Special Agent Gavin Gumbinner suggested that this critical workshop be held here at IRSC—one of most comprehensive public safety education facilities in the nation—the answer was a quick yes.”

The F.B.I.’s Critical Incident Response Group consists of a cadre of special agents and professional support personnel who provide expertise in crisis management, hostage rescue, surveillance and aviation, hazardous devices mitigation, crisis negotiations, behavioral analysis, and tactical operations. SSA Karie A. Gibson and SSA John Wyman led the December 2 and 3 exercise. Attendees represented local, state and federal agencies from Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties, alongside IRSC Campus Safety and Security staff.

“Recognizing that the challenges of threat management can be addressed only through a whole-of-community response, the F.B.I. is diligently working to develop new and meaningful partnerships across all levels of government and within the communities the F.B.I. serves.  Participation in these workshops strengthen our existing relationships and provide opportunities to develop new partnerships which leads to a more proactive approach to threat management in our area of responsibility,” said Fort Pierce SSRA Gavin Gumbinner.